


Calibrations

by marimoes



Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Mass Effect 1, Mutual Pining, Pining, painful flirting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-01
Updated: 2020-11-01
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:26:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27328042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marimoes/pseuds/marimoes
Summary: “How’s my favorite turian?” Shepard asks, leaning against the Mako.Garrus lets his eyes stay down on his screen for another beat before responding, “I’m the only turian you know.”It makes a soft snort press from her and his knees feel like jelly. Is she aware of her power over everyone around her? If she is, it’s cruel.If she isn’t—it’s still pretty damn cruel.
Relationships: Female Shepard/Garrus Vakarian
Comments: 18
Kudos: 93





	Calibrations

It’s difficult  _ not _ to look. Almost mandatory, Garrus tries to convince himself, as he once again watches Shepard sprint from the elevator. She’s his commanding officer aboard this ship and if she is down here, it might be to ask him something. 

Something important. 

Something kind from those miraculously unchapped lips and—

“Wrex!” 

Garrus blinks out of the thought that has him feeling like his head is about to unscrew from his body, and sees Shepard cross the floor to the Krogan. They meet with a hearty handshake, bumping foreheads roughly. 

Would her forehead be as soft as her hands are? Humans are so… squishy. Terrifyingly so in the grand scheme of things, but it could be nice to hold. Not that he’ll ever have the chance. 

Not when the lieutenant keeps making eyes at her every time they’re in the same room. He can’t blame the man, but he  _ can _ envy him. Human and human is easier, much easier, than getting tangled into interspecies drama. 

Even still, Shepard has never once treated him, Liara or Wrex any differently than Kaidan and Ashley. 

It might be why he’s found himself drawn to her. That air of pride and confidence is not unlike a turian, after all. She holds herself tall, a soldier from war of the past, with eyes that peer straight through you before pinching in a smile. 

He doesn’t pick up what they talk about and tries to stare at his calculations with a silent prayer to the Spirits that it seems convincing. When her boots again bend the metal beneath her in that little pattern he knows is leading towards him, he tries not to drop everything in his hands. He doesn’t even look up. 

_ Good. Not too eager.  _

“How’s my favorite turian?” Shepard asks, leaning against the Mako. 

Garrus lets his eyes stay down on his screen for another beat before responding, “I’m the only turian you know.” 

It makes a soft snort press from her and his knees feel like jelly. Is she aware of her power over everyone around her? If she is, it’s cruel. 

If she isn’t—it’s still pretty damn cruel.

“That’s not true. I know several. You just happen to have the distinct honor of being my favorite one in the whole galaxy.” Her legs cross along with her arms, settling into a position that is clearly not just for a quick chat.

The thought thrills Garrus in a way that makes his back itch. Odd.

“Well then, I’m honored indeed to have the title. What have I done to earn it? Keep the Mako running? I suppose that is a task and a half,” Garrus muses, trying to ease the blush of blue away from his neck. He pats the vehicle with his free hand, only now daring to catch her eye. “While we’re talking about that, can you take it easy? The undercarriage on this thing is basically non-existent now.” 

Shepard frowns, rolling her eyes. “If you think you can do a better job—” 

“I know I can.” 

“—then be my guest. _Hey!_ You’re not supposed to agree so fast.” 

Her frown is wavering into a smile, a slight tremble on the edges that push up into the indentations in her cheeks. Dimples, she called them once. A cute name for a cute feature. 

“I’m not one to spare feelings, Shepard,” Garrus eases, crossing his own arms. 

He read once that body mirroring was a major thing for humans. That it showed you were paying attention and on the same emotional page. 

He won’t take it as far as also leaning against the Mako, but this should be enough, right?

“I know. Once again, why you’re my favorite turian,” Shepard says, clicking her tongue. “I wanted to ask if you’d be up for a drink later. I’d love to hear some more about C-Sec if you’re ok with it. You know, the good, the bad, and the ugly of it all. Sound fun?”

Without looking, he can almost feel Ashley’s eyes on him from across the room. Why she’s so protective, he still can’t figure out, but damn if it doesn’t irritate him to death. 

If he agrees, it will likely only get worse for him. Not only in that aspect, but also the flimsy wall he’s built between the two of them might crumble. 

There’s no way he can risk that. Not now.

“Maybe another time? I have some calibrations I need to run. We can—what’s that phrase—‘Rain check’ it,” Garrus deflects, eyes flitting back down to his screen. 

“Oh, ok. Yeah, definitely. We can rain check it,” Shepard replies, pushing back up to stand. She smooths her uniform for a moment before resetting her posture back into military standard. “I should go, but I’ll hold you to it Vakarian.”

Garrus fights to watch as she turns back to the elevator and catches a last glimpse of her face as the doors close. She looked sad, almost. Or maybe Garrus is projecting the disappointment he’s feeling right now. 

Turning off his notes, he leans against the Mako before sighing up into the floor that she’s now likely walking on, “I wouldn’t have it any other way, Shepard.”

**Author's Note:**

> I'm almost done playing 3 and I'm hurt. So, I needed a little soft pining to soothe me. 
> 
> Twitter: @__moes__  
> Tumblr: @noswordstyle


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